Islanders pull away from Geckos

Mar. 18, 2015
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Written by

Grant Wieman

Pacific Daily News

John F. Kennedy Islanders senior Wayne Jesus wasn't trying to be the star in last night's Independent Interscholastic Athletic Association of Guam Basketball League semifinal, a 78-62 win against the visiting George Washington Geckos, it just sort of worked out that way.

Jesus rarely forced a shot, but finished with 15 points. He never commanded the JFK offense, but he finished with 12 assists. He didn't gamble on defense, but he finished with four steals.

"Whatever was given, that's what we use," Jesus said. "I didn't feel like I was the main sparkplug. I think we all did it as a team."

Yet when the Islanders needed a final push to pull away, Jesus was the one taking the ball to the basket. When JFK needed an on-time inbounds pass to maintain possession late, Jesus was the one throwing it.

Jesus didn't lead the Islanders in scoring -- junior Aljurrell Grape had an efficient 22 points and three others scored nine or more -- but he gave the Islanders everything he had to help them reach the championship game.

"I thought I was playing (the fourth quarter) the way I was playing the whole game," Jesus said. "Just with great intensity."

Wore down GW

JFK went nine players deep but six played the majority of the minutes. It still wore down the 12-man GW rotation, extending its lead as the game went on, forcing contested shots and turnovers.

The game was tied at 16 after the first quarter and JFK led by eight at halftime and after the third, 59-51, when it began to pull away.

Devin San Agustin was brilliant for GW through three quarters, tallying 23 points, 11 rebounds and four steals, but he was scoreless in the fourth.

Grape, the JFK lead ball handler, matched San Agustin's scoring but got it done while drawing fouls. Grape hit 6 of 9 free throws in the game and 8-for-15 field goals.

"He handled the game pretty well," Jesus said. "He took it to the basket, got some fouls and made his free throws."

To start the fourth, Jesus scored a second-chance, three-point-play and buried two more free throws after an aggressive drive to the basket a minute later.

With a double-digit deficit and less than four minutes to play, the Geckos upped their intensity, but made mistakes with the ball, allowing fast-break baskets for the Islanders as the lead became insurmountable.

The final numbers

Jesus got the ball to Ricky Pak when GW started its desperation fouling and Pak made 5 of 6 free throws in the final minute. He finished with nine points and 10 rebounds. Jan Pineda had 11 points for JFK and Chris Conner 11 points, six rebounds and a block. All-Island first-teamer Billy Belger had seven points, eight boards and three steals.

Nathaniel Gaitan had 13 points and three assists for GW. Mathew Soto had eight points and five rebounds.

The big win left the Islanders happy after the game, but their celebration was subdued.

"We worked hard throughout the whole season, every practice," Jesus said, "and we never took any team lightly. ... I just want to play (the game) and I want to take that ship."

The championship game will be Friday at George Washington High School.